Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday hosted the athletes who represented the state at the 2024 National Sports Festival, rewarding them with cash gifts and certificate of recognition.
The gold medalists got N1m each, while the silver and bronze medalists got N500,000 and N300,000 apiece as a symbolic appreciation of their efforts. The coaching crew also got cash rewards.
Kwara won six gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze at the sports festival, which was held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
At the reception held at the state banquet hall in Ilorin, the Kwara capital, Governor AbdulRazaq also announced immediate settlement of a backlog of N201m sign-on fee for Kwara United coaches and players — a debt that dates back some 16 years ago.
“For us, these athletes are our heroes and heroines in their own right. With six gold, 11 silver, and 12 bronze medals, these athletes have made us proud, and we are proud of their efforts, exploits, and, above all, patriotism,” he said.
“We have organised this to acknowledge, celebrate, and reassure these athletes and future champions that the state and its people appreciate them and will continue to honour their commitments to our state.
“Nothing can compensate for your efforts, but history will remember how you deployed your talents and energy to bring honour to our state. Thank you.”
AbdulRazaq said history bears witness that his administration has done a lot to reposition Kwara State in all spheres, highlighting some of the sporting facilities that now wear a new look.
He called his government’s investments in sports a strategic purpose to make Kwara the number one hub for raising talents and deploying the same for national development and shared prosperity.
“Within the last six years, we have upgraded several of our sporting facilities and built new ones, including the indoor sports hall, table tennis area, Olympic size swimming pool, and eight-winged squash courts. Some of these facilities are unique to Kwara State in Nigeria and on the African continent,” he added.
“We have also tried to put our teams in top shape. These efforts are paying off already as the recent historic victory of the Kwara United Football Club shows. Beyond the unprecedented infrastructure upgrade, we have also doubled down on the welfare of athletes and officials.
“Today, I’m glad to announce the full payment of the outstanding N201m sign-on fee for Kwara United coaches and players, which dates back to 16 years ago. This again underscores our commitment to the welfare of all, including our athletes and coaches.”
The event was attended by top government officials, including the Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission Coach Bola Magaji; Chairman Ilorin West Local Government Football Council, Owolabi Agbaji Wopa; Director of Sports, Ibrahim Bako; Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ismail Ayodeji; Olympiad and former Commissioner of Sports in the state, Hameed Adio.
Magaji, for his part, said the achievements could not have been possible without the support of the Governor.
“Because you believe in us, you assisted us to build our facilities with the renovation of some, while others were constructed anew. That is not enough. Before, a lot of our athletes have been rotten at home, but now there is hardly a month that an association (in sports) is not being represented within and outside Nigeria,” he said.
Adio lauded Governor AbdulRazaq’s commitment to developing the sports and educational sectors, saying such attests to the Governor’s belief that “when you combine sports and education, you will become a superstar”.
Ayodeji commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s numerous support that he said culminated in the different success stories for the state, particularly at the last sport festival.
Ayodeji said the efforts of the Governor on the Kwara United will be further amplified if the team plays all their (African Confederation Cup) home matches at the Ilorin Stadium, noting that will boost their morale and support the local economy.
